"Just a few social media activities, an ad, or a nice logo are no longer enough," says Andrea Eigel. (Photo: © Kaleidoskop Marketing-Service GmbH – Matthias Eigel)
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"Companies need a distinctive profile to attract the right employees and customers," says marketing expert Andrea Eigel. Read why employer branding is so important for employers.
The marketing demands placed on small and medium-sized enterprises have changed significantly in recent years. Simply placing an ad now and then and having a website is no longer sufficient.
Marketing is no longer just about acquiring customers , but also about competing for young talent and skilled workers . Andrea Eigel has been observing this development for 20 years.
The marketing expert, together with her husband Matthias Eigel, offers seminars on topics such as positioning, branding, employee management, and sales through their marketing agency Kaleidoskop . She has also been leading experience-sharing groups in the skilled trades for 17 years. In an interview with the trade journal Handwerksblatt, she reveals what's important in employer branding.
DHB: Ms. Eigel, you say that anyone who wants to assert themselves in the skilled trades today needs to stand out from the crowd through targeted positioning. What exactly do you mean by that?
Andrea Eigel: This means more than just a logo, a website, or a business directory listing. To clearly differentiate themselves, businesses need a coherent, comprehensive self-presentation. My experience is that there are too many skilled trades businesses that operate at a very high level but are too comparable. There are no clear target groups, no distinctive features, no expert status. As a result, the businesses are not easily recognizable for customers and employees, and therefore not attractive enough.
Operations management
Operations management
Operations management
DHB: How can companies get out of this dilemma?
Egg yolk: First, a company should clarify who it would like to work with. Who are its ideal customers and employees? Then, it should consider what the customers' and employees' wishes and expectations actually are. Finally, it should consider its own strengths and then highlight them clearly enough to create a real attraction. These strengths must be communicated consistently – using consistent messages, consistent colors and images, utilizing the company's values and narratives, and through the appropriate channels.
DHB: How does the company avoid interchangeability?
Egg yolk: When you ask tradespeople what qualities they want to be perceived for in the market, they always respond with similar terms like "good quality, reliable, and on-time delivery." These are platitudes that may no longer be of interest to the customer and may not even be a good fit for the company. I think it's incredibly important, especially in small businesses, to clarify what you stand for. These qualities can then be translated into good, authentic images, stories, and testimonials. Ideally, there will be some common ground between the entrepreneur, the employees, and the customers.
DHB: Do you have an example?
Egg yolk: I recently sat down with a young man who is taking over a carpentry business and is now working intensively on its positioning. Over the years, this company had become accustomed to offering all sorts of services to all sorts of customers. The successor now has to consider how to break down these smorgasbord of services into concrete services. He will set up a new planning department and eliminate other services in return. Companies are not as interchangeable as they often seem. Every company has its own services, values, procedures, and visions. These can be communicated very well and succinctly to the outside world. It's a long process and sometimes takes years, but customers and employees are more attracted to this than these platitudes. You shouldn't base your decision on trends, either.
DHB: Is this easier to implement for newly founded companies or traditional businesses?
Egg yolk: This is feasible for everyone. What's important is that someone in the company understands the need.
DHB: The economy is booming in many trades right now. Why should you still focus on branding and invest in marketing?
Egg yolk: Many traditional marketing tools no longer work today. For a while, it was sufficient to have a market presence and implement one or two marketing measures. Given today's flood of information, that's no longer enough. A few social media activities, a single ad, or a nice logo are no longer enough. Many tradespeople are also concerned with receiving appreciation for their work. A lack of appreciation is often also due to external presentation. A well-positioned company with a distinctive profile and a brand can present itself with far greater value and stand out from the crowd. A dated appearance also leads to a loss of credibility.
DHB: Speaking of the shortage of skilled workers, what advice do you have for companies in this area?
Egg yolk: It's absolutely essential to develop an employer profile. I notice that there are companies that already do quite a lot for their employees, but don't communicate this externally. There, too, visibility is lacking. Here, just as on the customer side, you should present comprehensible, credible arguments and support them with images and stories. I believe there's a connection between employer attractiveness and brand imagery for customers. Employees today have to justify where they work, and that's much easier if the company has a good reputation.
DHB: When are you a brand?
Egg yolk: If the client or applicant doesn't say, "Now I'll find just any painter," they say, "I want to go to this exact company."
The interview was conducted by Kirsten Freund
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